


By Your Side

by Kiraynn



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Hurt Leo, M/M, Turtlecest, caring Raph, episode reference Into The Woods
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-21
Updated: 2015-02-21
Packaged: 2018-03-14 00:58:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3402584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiraynn/pseuds/Kiraynn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After his attack Leo feels like he failed his family. Raph just wants Leo to stop trying to leave them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	By Your Side

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own them, but my devotion is all my own.
> 
> Lyrics by Faber Drive.

**I’ll be keeping your heart in mine…**

**Don’t you know I’ll always be here?**

**Even in the hardest times…**

**Don’t you always know I’m always right here?**

 

 

The moon was full, casting silver down onto the quiet, peaceful expanse of yard outside the farmhouse. Leaning on the crutch Donnie gave him, Leonardo pressed his other hand against the cool glass of the window. Try as he might he couldn’t seem to look passed his own reflection. The blue eyes that stared back at him were tired and sad, haunted by his failure.

Leo closed his eyes his head tipping forward to rest against the window beside his hand. He could still feel the cold snow as it cascaded down onto his body, still felt the adrenaline that burned through him as he fought against Rahzar, Tiger Claw, Fishface and the Foot Ninja. But most of all he could still feel the bite of Shredder’s nearly fatal hit.

His thoughts during the attack had been a frantic swirl of survival and reaching his family. In the end he had barely managed either one. 

The telltale creak of the wooden stairs startled him. Straightening up a little he quickly composed himself.

“You’re not supposed to be up, Leo,” Raphael stated as he walked up to stand beside him. “Donnie would have your head if he saw you.”

“You said yourself I’ve been out for three months. I needed to stretch a little,” he turned slightly to face his brother.

Raph’s green eyes bore into him as though he was trying to see whatever Leo was attempting to hide; it was too much and Leo quickly averted his attention back to the window. 

“You really scared the hell out of us.” 

“I’m sorry,” Leo replied. He didn’t know what else to say.

“You don’t get to just ditch us like that. You hear me?” Raph cupped his cheek with his free hand, turning his face back towards him. His thumb traced over his leaf green skin. “Our last day is going to be together. None of this self-sacrificing shit you keep trying.”

“Yes, dear,” Leo replied sweetly, trying to lighten the mood.

Raph refused to be placated. “I’m not kidding, Leo.”

“Never said you were. But it’s not like I meant for this to happen. Shredder’s goons ambushed me.”

“You shouldn’t have been out by yourself in the first place. You should have stuck with Mikey, Donnie and April.”

Leo gave a short laugh as he pulled away. Using the crutch he limped over to the sofa and sat down with a wince. “That’s really rich coming from you. You take off all the time. Why should I listen when you won’t?”

“Because I never got thrown through a window,” Raph snapped back. 

“You’re still young, bro. It could happen.” Leo was attempting to joke again, but all he received for his efforts was a scowl from his hotheaded sibling. The leader sighed. “Did you really come down here just to scold me? I’d rather you wait until I’m healed a bit more.”

“I actually came down to check on you. The scolding was supposed to wait until tomorrow.” Raph walked over and settled beside him. “But since you’re awake I figured I might as well do it now.”

Leo chuckled. “You better watch out. I’m starting to rub off on you.”

He expected a smartass remark, or maybe just a smirk, but all Raph did was continue to stare at him. Leo barely fought the urge to fidget under that steady emerald gaze. 

“Everything seemed to slow down when you broke through that glass window,” the red masked turtle muttered. “And then when you didn’t move, for a moment I…”he swallowed hard, “I thought you were dead.”

Leo winced. He didn’t remember actually going through the window since he was already unconscious by then, but he couldn’t even imagine what that must have looked like, or how he would have felt if it had been one of his brothers instead of himself.

“I’m okay,” he replied tenderly, covering the other teen’s hand with his own. “That part is over, Raph. Now we just have to go back to New York, kick some Kraang ass, and find Master Splinter.”

“Only after you’re healed. We don’t go anywhere until then.”

“Hmm.. such rational thinking,” Leo teased. “If I had known that all it took was a few months of time without me to make you change, I would have--”

He froze, startled, as Raph’s strong arms suddenly encased him. 

“Don’t you joke about that,” Raph demanded roughly, burying his face in Leo’s neck. “Don’t you dare. You have no idea what it was like without you.”

“I’m sorry,” he said guiltily. “I won’t joke about it again.”

“How about you stop attempting to die?” Raph pulled back to glare at him. “That’s twice now, Leo. Twice you tried to leave us. How do you think that makes us feel?”

“I already apologized.”

“Your apologies don’t mean shit. You’re just going to do it again.”

Leo sighed. “What do you want from me, Raph?” 

Gently Raph guided Leo closer, nudging their foreheads together. “I want you to let us protect you,” he said softly. “I want you to trust us. We’re here for you, Leo, and we’re not going anywhere. Let me in.” 

“I do,” Leo breathed, “I do trust you.”

He tilted his head and touched his lips to Raph’s in a soft, chaste kiss. It wasn’t the first one they had shared, but the ones before had been more out of curiosity; this one was comfort and intimacy.

It only lasted a few moments, but when they broke apart it was like the tension and heartbreak had melted from the room.

A bit uncomfortable at the tender smile Leo was giving him, Raph cleared his throat. “Alright, enough of this mushy, sentimental bullshit. C’mon,” standing, he took Leo’s arm and guided him to his feet. “Let’s get you to bed.”

Before Leo could even attempt to hobble along, Raph wrapped his arms around him and lifted him up into his arms bridal-style.

“R-Raph,” Leo stuttered, face blooming into an impressive blush, “I-I can walk. Just give me a minute.”

“By the time you’re ready I could already have you upstairs,” Raph argued. “Hold onto me.”

With a sigh Leo slid an arm around Raph’s neck to help support his weight. “This is so embarrassing,” he groused. 

Raph chuckled, moving slow as he carried his bundle up the stairs and down the hall. “Don’t worry. I’ll only tease you about it for the next month or so.”

“Great…”

The old bed creaked loudly beneath Leo’s weight, but it was soft and sturdy under his shell. Much more comfortable than a bathtub and he was already half asleep before he realized that Raph was climbing in beside him.

Too tired to question the behavior, Leo began to shift over to make room. However a strong hand stopped the movement and instead tugged him closer.

“Don’t hog the blanket,” Leo warned, voice husky with impending sleep. “Or the pillow.”

“Tch,” Raph snorted. “Fine. I’ll follow your ‘don’t’s’ as long as you follow one of mine.” 

“Hm..? What s’it?”

He fell asleep before he could hear the answer, or feel the kiss that brushed the top of his head.

“Don’t you go anywhere, Leo,” Raph murmured in the darkness, holding his brother close. “Not without me.”

 

 

**When you’re feeling lost…**

**Don’t give up, because it’s alright**

**When you close your eyes…**

**I’m by your side.**

 


End file.
